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Research Advancements

Daniel Henryk Rasolt writes articles that cover diabetes, health, self management, and complementary and alternative medicine. He has written for Defeat Diabetes® News for over seven years.

Many members of his immediate family have diabetes so he has personal experience with the disease. Because of this family history, Henryk is also aware of his increased risk of becoming diabetic, so he tries to follow a “healthier” lifestyle that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and plenty of exercise.

At the summit of Gokyo Ri in the Nepalese Himalayas, with Mt. Everest in the background.

Henryk is a graduate of Cornell University, where he majored in physics, with a concentration in astrophysics. His physics research has been published, and he uses his analytic skills as a health, medical and science writer. He writes about science for the layman.

His interests outside of science include travel to over 75 countries, many by motorcycle, an extensive interest and knowledge of wine, has climbed several mountains above 20,000 feet, is an advanced and specialized scuba diver; and believes days are not to be wasted.

Henryk was recently exploring the mountains, jungles, oceans, and people of South America, hoping that maybe a shaman contains the secret cure for diabetes (no luck). He is now back in Nepal on another trek.

Update: Henryk is in the South Seas taking courses to become a (SCUBA) Dive Master.

A new study out of Tufts University has uncovered a major drawback to “low-carb diets,” which have garnered a large contingency over the past decade. The study revealed that low-carb diets induce decreased cognitive ability, especially memory. Low-carbohydrate diets have an extremely long history (our nomadic hunter ancestors from many thousands of years ago are… Continue reading →

It’s long been speculated that humans and animals possess an intrinsic “circadian rhythm,” also known as an internal body clock. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have uncovered the specific chemical switch that accounts for this internal body clock mechanism, which could lead to revolutionary advances in medications. The study, lead by Paolo Sassone-Corsi,… Continue reading →

Modified stem cells that could be extremely helpful in generating bone growth can now be “guided” through the blood stream directly to the bone. This is a potentially profound advance in the field of stem cell modification. The research that led to this study, completed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and led by… Continue reading →

The first successful Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES), which involves “passing surgical instruments through a natural orifice, such as the mouth or vagina, to remove a diseased organ,” has been performed in the United States on an appendix. Surgeons at the University of California San Diego Medical Center removed a woman’s inflamed appendix through… Continue reading →

Regenerative stem cell therapies are known to be a revolutionary treatment for the future, but the currently most abundant source of stem cells (embryonic) comes with a lot of controversy. Researchers may have found a much less controversial and more abundant alternative as a source for stem cells, menstrual blood. The tissue lining the uterus,… Continue reading →

The body’s “sodium channels” are crucial in maintaining healthy blood pressure and salt levels. A recent research team has found a molecule that can activate proteins in sodium channels, enabling the balance of sodium levels. The channel in question is known as the “human epithelial sodium channel (ENaC).” ENac has the ability to control “sodium… Continue reading →

The stethoscope is perhaps the most identifiable symbol of a medical doctor, but it might soon become obsolete. A new study has applied a digital, mathematical approach to diagnosing heart problems, and it appears to be more effective in this task than the typical doctor-stethoscope combination. The stethoscope is a tool that allows a doctor… Continue reading →

For the first time, a new ultra-powerful magnetic resonance machine will become operational in a hospital setting. The machine, known as the magnetic resonance tomograph, has only been used in scientific research settings, until its recent to the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) for Molecular Medicine in Berlin, Germany. Standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, which… Continue reading →

A newly developed method for producing stem cells that can mimic other cell types, could have wide reaching implications. The new process does not require controversial embryonic stem cells, and is speculated to have the potential to help cure diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson’s. Dr. Andras Nagy, of Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital, is credited… Continue reading →

Two of the leading causes of blindness are diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Recent research has found that by activating a particular blood vessel protein, these two conditions can potentially be prevented and even reversed, greatly reducing any risk of permanent blindness. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness for young… Continue reading →

Weight gain with age is a common occurrence for many. This is often attributed to decreased activity and slowed metabolism, but recent research has revealed that appetite control cells within the brain deteriorate with age, making overeating more likely. Dr. Zane Andrews of Monash University was the principal investigator of this study. He found that… Continue reading →

Mental exercises and focused mind-intensive tasks appear to induce hunger and increased calorie intake, according to a recent study. Students performing these forms of “intellectual work” were seen to eat significantly more than those simply resting and relaxing their minds. The study was conducted on 14 college aged students. Each performed a series of three… Continue reading →

Past research done on animal test subjects has suggested that taking antioxidant supplements may prolong life. According to a recent review, in which 67 human antioxidant studies were accounted for, the numbers in human beings do not appear to support this conclusion. Antioxidants are molecules that can hinder the oxidation of certain molecules. Oxidation, while… Continue reading →

Omega-3 fatty acid consumption during the last trimester of pregnancy appears to help with the motor and cognitive development of the infant. Higher omega-3 concentrations in the blood of the infants (which was also representative of a higher content in the mothers blood) was revealed to be strongly correlated to advanced development, according to a… Continue reading →

A common blood-thinning treatment, often very effective in preventing blood clots and cardiovascular (CV) events (such as hearth attack and stroke), is the simple daily consumption of aspirin. A recent study has shown that those resistant to aspirin are much more likely to experience blood clots or CV events than those patients who are properly… Continue reading →

With the help of a new ultrasound technique, the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies may be greatly reduced, according to Jefferson University Hospital researchers. Lower numbers of men with undetected prostate cancer should occur as well. The technique, which consolidates regions of blood flow in the prostate for observation by ultrasound, allows doctors to better… Continue reading →